Bass To The Power Of Two: Pro700 Mk2

I may have one of the oddest preference for headphones. Sennheiser HD800 and Stax Omega 2 on some days, and a bass monster Pro700 Mk2 on others. But seriously, I am having such a great time listening to the Pro700 Mk2 that it earns my strong recommendation mark if you happen to be into deep, hard-hitting bass. The reality is that different headphones are built for different types of music, and in this case the Pro700 Mk2 simply delivers when it comes to bass heavy electronic music (I know a lot of you are listening to these).

The bass on the Pro700 Mk2 will put most other basshead headphones to shame. The Beats, the Denons, or what ever other bass heavy headphone you can think of — I’ll gladly put the Pro700 Mk2 for a challenge. And despite the condescending tone audiophiles tend to have over basshead headphones, the recent success of the JH16Pro and the Audez’e LCD-2 tells me that we may love bass more than we’re willing to admit. Of course the Pro700 Mk2 is a $200 headphone and it would be silly to attempt to match it to the $1,000 orthodynamics or the 16 drivers custom in ears. But I am quite sure that the Pro700 Mk2 can have the bragging rights when it comes to the bass category under the $500 mark. My friend Sem who owns the Audio Technica ES-10 (that huge 58mm driver portable headphone) and the Denon 2000 (another supposedly basshead favorite) commented that the Pro700 Mk2 has even more bass than the two, and comparing the Pro700 Mk2 to my favorite HD25-1 and AIAIAI TMA-1 again proves that it would be silly to challenge the Pro700 Mk2’s bass supremacy.

53mm driver delivers seismic bass.

I didn’t know I was such a bass addict, but whenever I start to think about the Pro700’s bass, I just have this uncontrollable grin (and even small laughs) as the brain re-played the thumping beats on my head. With the right music, this headphone is seriously a lot of fun. In fact, I’ve been spending more time with the Pro700 Mk2 out of the Yulong than I do with the Exstata + Omega2 combo (there goes all my credibility). I don’t know, perhaps it’s not the Omega2’s fault, but rather the wishy-washy Bill Evans Jazz that I’ve been listening from the Omega2 that causes this behavior, because Prodigy and Interpol sounds really kickass with the Pro700 Mk2.

If you are used to the typical audiophile headphone’s tonal response, then nothing can prepare you for the the Pro700 Mk2. This headphone is so heavily bass colored that it will make the HD650 sound thin and bright (it really does that, actually). I also had to spend some time trying to readjust my ears, but after I did, then I really didn’t want to take them off.

The Pro700 Mk2 is also quite different than the HD25-1, which still had a typical audiophile headphone tonal balance with the addition of a tight and punchy bass. The HD25-1 is one of the few headphones that can please both the audiophile as well as the bass-seeking crowd, and in a way, it’s a very safe recommendation to make. But for the pure bass-seeking crowd, the Pro700 Mk2 offers the true SEISMIC bass that makes the HD25-1 sound weak in comparison. And while the Pro700 Mk2 is something that every basshead should apply for an audition, I would be more hesitant to recommend this headphone to the typical audiophile.

One of the issues with the so-called “heavy bass” headphones is that sometimes they only give you big quantity of bass reverbs without actually delivering the punch (or the kick, in the case of the Pro700 Mk2). The HD25-1 didn’t have any bass reverbs, but it delivers a convincing and fun punch. The Pro700 Mk2 on the other hand, is a pure basshead approach to music. This headphone would make the Beats Studio headphones sound like a polite audiophile headphone as it delivers one of the most thundering bass I’ve ever heard from a pair of headphones. Given the seismic quality (and quantity) of the bass, it would be un-reasonable to expect the Pro700 to match the transients and the articulation level of headphones with lesser bass levels, including the HD25-1. The bass is not exactly slow, and reverb levels are quite low, but still the Pro700’s bass can only be considered to be moderate in speed and articulation. The PRaT factor, however, is quite excellent with the right beats as the seismic quality of the bass makes up for anything it loses in the speed section.

Another thing that you need to be prepared for is attenuated treble levels from the typical audiophile style tonal balance as well as a significantly less open midrange section. I didn’t brand this a basshead headphone for no reason. But compared to the original Pro700, the Mk2 is significantly improved in the midrange quality, housing reverbs, and top and bottom extension. Bass also hits lower and deeper on the Mk2, and as a whole, as I told my friend DJ Reginald, the upgrade from the Pro700 to the Mk2 is a must.

Compared to the HD25-1 and the AIAIAI TMA-1. HD25-1 Adidas version courtesy of Astrindo.

Compared to my previous favorite, the AIAIAI TMA-1, again the Pro700 Mk2 is simply supreme in the bass, but the AIAIAI has a better midrange and treble clarity. The TMA-1 is more refined than the Pro700 Mk2, but the bass does sound too polite when compared to the Pro700 Mk2. The TMA-1 is also noticeably brighter than the Pro700 Mk2. Now if you consider that a lot of people brand the TMA-1 as a dark and muffled headphone, then you’d have a pretty good idea of the kind of tonal balance we’re talking about with the Pro700 Mk2. But, somehow, with the right music, I think the Pro700 Mk2 really delivers the goods (Evil Empire also sounds really good with the Pro700 Mk2, btw).

The housing surprisingly says “Monitor Headphones”. I don’t know how you can monitor with these seriously skewed tonal balance.

I tried the Pro700 Mk2 with some popular R&B such as Raphael Saadiq and the Cadillac Records, and while the bass are always good, vocal passages, especially Beyonce’s on the Cadillac Records, are quite muffled and congested. It can pass as a decent R&B headphone, but the HD25-1 is definitely the better choice as it presents a much, much better vocal section. The TMA-1 is a little better than the Pro700 Mk2 on the vocals, but again, the HD25-1 beats both of them convincingly. But for a moment I am enjoying the bass so much, and as most electronic music don’t put a heavy emphasis on vocal, the Pro700 Mk2 remains to be a very strong recommendation if you happen to be a fan of Electronica, Dance, House, and even Alternative Rock — anything that demand strong and impactful beats to work.

You can enjoy the Pro700 Mk2 direct from an Ipod just fine, but with bass-heavy recordings, bass control would quickly go out the door. Blame it on the Ipod though, as a good portable amp that boasts good articulation such as the Meier StepDance quickly solves this problem. Likewise I much prefer the Yulong U100 with its superior bass articulation than the warmer sounding Audinst HUD-MX1.

I used to praise the Etymotic ER4 for its supposedly “high quality” bass section, but that was in 2008. This year, bass is what you should be listening to. Click on that “Like” button if you agree.

UPDATE: COMPARISON WITH THE AUDIO TECHNICA M-50

The reason that I didn’t even bother comparing the Pro700 to the M-50 is that the two headphones are so different from each other.

The Pro700 Mk2 is a purebred basshead headphone, while the ATH M-50 is closer to a studio monitoring headphone that happens to have good bass quantity. The tonal balance of the M-50 is quite proper, with treble, mids and bass all taking roughly similar proportions. The Pro700 Mk2 is so seriously skewed to the bass regions, it’s probably one of the most colored headphones I’ve ever listened to.

The M-50 has good bass punch, but presented in that wide soundstage, the focus and the impact seems lost. The HD25-1 is better in this regard, as the smaller soundstage helps focus the impact of the bass. The two headphones’ bass, however, sounds puny in comparison to the Pro700 Mk2.

Camembert

Anonymous

LoL. Sorry for missing that out guys.

The reason that I didn’t even bother comparing the Pro700 to the M-50 is that the two headphones are so different from each other.

The Pro700 Mk2 is a purebred basshead headphone, while the ATH M-50 is closer to a studio monitoring headphone that happens to have good bass quantity. The tonal balance of the M-50 is quite proper, with treble, mids and bass all taking roughly similar proportions. The Pro700 Mk2 is so seriously skewed to the bass regions, it’s probably one of the most colored headphones I’ve ever listened to.

The M-50 has good bass punch, but presented in that wide soundstage, the focus and the impact seems lost. The HD25-1 is better in this regard, as the smaller soundstage helps focus the impact of the bass. The two headphones’ bass, however, sounds puny in comparison to the Pro700 Mk2.

And here I was, thinking my Sony XB700 had enough bass. The TMA-1 was too dark for me compared to my HD25-1 but I’m looking forward to hear how the Pro700 Mk2 compares. Who needs treble and mids anyway. 😉

Oh, and the photos are awesome! You even made the driver look stunning. 🙂

Anonymous

That XB1000 does look pretty pillowy indeed! First impressions seem to be that it’s actually less bassy than the XB700 though. It’s mighty expensive as well compared to the XB700 (which I got for $45) . Are you going to review it?

Haha, I love the lower frequencies as well, Mike and great review! Question: would you have a chance to compare the mkII to the Ultrasone PRO 750’s? I hear the 750’s are pretty supreme in the lower extensions and I almost bought a pair a few weeks ago.

Anonymous

Earfonia

Tried the Pro700 Mk2 with iPod for sometime. Love the build quality, really good design 🙂 But the tonal balance is too coloured for my taste. The mid-bass is too dominant with narrow soundstage. Pro700 Mk2 only good for certain music, definitely not an all-rounder bass heavy headphones. Whenever I want seismic bass, I prefer Shure SRH-750DJ, strong bass with more natural tonal balance, a better all-rounder for basshead I would say 🙂

Anonymous

yes mike, i retreated from audiophile a few months ago. without all those “restrctions” as an “audiophile”, i reverted to my basic listening and man, bass is the win afterall. screw treble, screw vocals! bass + soundstage = everything.

Anonymous

Zuqi

Its good to follow your instinct:)

When I put my Jay-a Jay iem on, I have a strange feeling that I like its sound more than my Grado HF2**< but that is the truth, I love bass as much as (or more than0 the overall sound quality, even I don't want to admit it at that moment.

Anonymous

I know exactly what you’re talking about Mike. About a week after I talked to you I took a train from Philly to New York and literally tried out just about every headphone I could think of at 5 different shops (Regardless of price XD)

In the end I settled on the AKG K271MKII over the HF5 as I found the two to be very similar and at the time preferred the superior depth and soundstage on the K271MKII over the even cleaner armature-based Ety sound.

That said, after 2 weeks of listening/testing K271MKII on my bad setup I felt temporarily sick of the clinical/dry/detailed sound. Something was wrong; it’s like a K701 user switching to an AH-D2000+Fiio E7 (with bass boost set at +2 or +3) every once and a while or else he wouldn’t want to listen to music anymore.

So tonight I ended up discovering your article while listening to my Klipsch Image S4+Fiio E5 on bass boost out of a Sansa Clip+ with further EQ’ed low frequencies (think Fiio E5 double bass size/boost+ around 3DB’s equalization) and find It hilarious how irrational people have to go in the exact opposite direction sometimes in order to enjoy their own preferences. -Had to say it 😉

I swear if it wasn’t for big-bass headphones warming my music loving soul every once and a while I don’t think I’d be able to stand “audiophile” headphones at all!!!

Back to the update, now I’m pretty confident the K271MKII was the right choice; bass impact/punch and deepness are incredibly surprising with these cans, while mid-bass is almost non-existent. Putting the obvious increase in clarity/instrument presence/separation aside; with a little upper midrange tweaking in foobar2000 I’m absolutely sure the Yulong will give the K271MKII’s the life I want from them XD.

They’re actually the airiest closed cans I’ve ever heard out of trash setups/on their own, not that that’s saying much from me 🙂

I’ll have to get back to you on it, but I get the feeling that through the U100 they might become the best sounding “perfect” (works with all genre’s/jack-of-all-trades) closed-cans period. You know; the go any higher on the price bracket/scale option and everything is specialized nature of the audiophile world.

As for the Pro700 MK2’s, I’ve given up trying to figure out how these are AT phones…Hell, if they use the the same 53mm drivers as in the A700/AD700 then something is wrong with the world 🙁

They should definitely be every audiophile’s rebound headphones though…

Putting the otherworldly Pro700 MK2 aside, who would have thought such an analytical can could have such a present deep, clean low end? K271MKII are really underrated IMO.

Anonymous

Lol.. Thanks for the long write up, Jason.

I fear that one day the S4, Sansa Clip and Fiio combo will take over the K271 completely.

The K271 is actually a very nice headphone. The recent MkII version has a very good built quality, and I believe also comes with verlour pads. I would not be surprised if the bass hits low. It is one of the highly regarded AKG Monitoring headphone for the professional world. Also as a proper monitoring headphone, it should not come with too much midbass, so I think what you are hearing is correct.

If you want to go a step up, go with the Sony Z1000. It retails for $500 approximately, and it will better the K271 on many aspects, simply due to the newer driver technology. But I am not sure if it will beat the K271 on the low bass section. You can find a review of the Z1000 somewhere on this site.

Anonymous

Actually, when I originally commented, mentioning around $400 as my threshold was my absolute highest budget possible. I’m an 18 year old student nearing the end of my gap year and plan to spend my summer in Spain with family I’ve only seen maybe 4 or 5 times in my life.

If I hadn’t gotten such a good deal on the K271MKII ($150) things might be different, but as It stands I’m more interested in building up a proper foundation for the K701/K702/Q701 and the Yulong’s great airy natural highs, bass articulation, and mids that manage to be crisp/slightly warm and airy at the same time would probably do that headphone justice. There are surely other headphones that would benefit as well.

I wouldn’t want to believe that the Z1000 will sound better out of a Sansa Clip with an E5 than the K271MKII would out of the Yulong U100 but… if you say so…

As for the Ety; I haven’t given up on it yet. Call me crazy (seriously) but after doing some research I’ve decided that in the coming year or two I’ll be buying the HF5 and giving it the 1964Ears custom body treatment. Comparing the ER4P/HF5 at J&R; I’d say headfiers are right about the HF5 having slightly darker/more natural highs, but sound quality itself really is exactly the same.

Sure it wouldn’t compare to $1000 offerings from UE or JH audio but for less than $350 dollars (1964Ear’s charges $190-ears molds should be around $50 total) I think it would be one heck of an entry level custom. What do you think?

Hopefully everything will go well, lol. I have some time to think about it though…

eugenius

Anonymous

I have succeeded then! 🙂

I tried to do a small EQ on Itunes, didn’t make the HD25-1 identical to the Pro700 Mk2, but fairly close. Roughly add 6dB (!!!) to the entire bass spectrum, and lower the treble areas around 3dB. LOL now you know what I’m talking about.

When a feature doesn’t work on a new headphone is it always better to play it safe and replace the item within warranty?

The mute feature didn’t work on my K271MKII when they were brand new in box, the seemingly flimsy button on it never locks. I don’t care for the auto mute and get the feeling it will just break anyway with strain from use.

Anonymous

EL84HiGain

It’s funny… I had every intention of getting the JH 13Pro IEMs but after hearing the JH 16Pro… I could not stop grinning! I determined that there was too much music that benefited from the bump on the bottom. Also, I would rather occasionally cut the bass on the16s and have them loaf, rather than bump the bass on the 13s. But oh what bass!

Anonymous

Scytus

Anonymous

If you have too big of a soundstage, then the focus on the impact gets lost. This is partly why the Sennheiser HD25-1 is such a great and fun little headphone. Small soundstage, but the impact and the energy of the bass is very well focused. It is hard for headphones with big soundstages to get a proper impact and focus on the bass (i.e AKG K501, ATH AD-series, Senn HD800, and so on).

Dan Z

Anonymous

Andrew

Thank you so much for this review. I recently purchased the Shure 750DJ and was incredibly disappointed with it. Then I read your review and decided to give the Pro700MK2 a chance. It came in and I auditioned it immediately. Bliss followed shortly after. This is the headphone for me. For someone who likes mostly electronica and rock music the Pro700MK2 just delivers the visceral impact that made me a fan of both of these genres.

Anonymous

Mike11

I am really tempted to order a set of these, i love my M50’s very much but the trance music I listen too is heavily vocalized and if these fall short on the vocals I think maybe I’ll try the HD-1 instead.

GhostRider

I think my next quest is for a bass headphone. This article makes me really want the Pro700Mk2, but I’m really curious how they compare to the Sony XB series – especially the new XB1000, which I can’t test out yet.

Anonymous

GhostRider

Totally. I told you that I was going for the Senn 558, but at the last minute, your description of the AD700’s massive soundstage made me change my mind. So I’ve been listening to a lot of old recordings by Andres Segovia, Robert Johnson, and Django Reinhardt with the AD700 over the past few weeks, and it is just an amazing sound experience. I really appreciate your help. I have a question about “sources”, and I was wondering which channel you prefer for communication.

GhostRider

Hey Mike, I just signed up with Twitter, but I haven’t tried navigating it much, so I sent you an email. I was just thinking that if I get a simple plug n play CD player, I can focus on being crazy headphones guy without too much extra equipment.

Anonymous

GhostRider

When comparing a CD player (e.g, Marantz, TEAC, Yamaha, NAD) with its own headphone output against some of the source components you review at this site, do you have any idea which would sound better? It seems that the CD player option would cost less in general, but I’ve heard people speculate that CD players use high quality DACs and mediocre headphone amps.

Anonymous

I am not too inexperienced with CD player headphone output. I had a CEC player that had a headphone out. It was really transparent to the source, but punch and impact was not that good. The entry level Marantz CD players had a good headphone out though, I can’t remember which particular model I listened to, but I’ve listened to several different entry level Marantz (ie CD6003, CD5004, CD5001) and they generally had good driving power and impact for most of the dynamic headphones out there.

Don’t believe all the myths thrown out there just to make people buy stuff you don’t need. If it sounds good and you’re enjoying the music, then it sounds good.

I think the case with CD players headphone out is this: 1. You are always playing from a good source (CD quality) 2. Very short signal path, means very small loss of quality.

These two factors already takes care the most critical aspect in a system: source quality is very important, garbage in = garbage out.

Now looking at a simple amp like the JDSLabs Cmoy, it actually doesn’t take too much of a complex design to make an amp that sounds good. Of course don’t go comparing it to a Burson or a Beta22, but a simple amp with a great source and a short signal path is actually good enough to make good music (with the right headphones, of course).

simon pressman

Hi there, in my experience, most cd player headphone outs only like driving relatively easy loads to any satisfying volume level. My Sennheiser HD650’s are a no go zone (if you want any kind of volume), my Sony MDR7509 no probs. In-ears are hit and miss with cd player headphone outs (I have 3 or 4 different in ears). I have (2x) different expensive Sony ES cd players – and they sound completely different to each other even! I also have a Denon CD player and have had Marantz in the past.

I think the simple thing is does the headphone you own sound good on one of the CD players you are looking to buy? I hope you find what you’re looking for : )

P.S – I now have (and love) the Burson HA160D – and it puts all my other headphone outs (on cd players, MD recorders and HiFi amps) to shame – especially with the sennheisers).

Anonymous

GhostRider

Awesome. I had just got myself up to speed on what it would take to get the best sound from my iPod, but then I pictured my bedroom being filled with even more components and wires (in addition to my guitar, bass, and DJ gear). Before I go out and get some good bass headphones, I’m going to look for a good CD player.

Robbo

Hey Mike, I’ve been using a pair of these all day today and yes I gotta say the bass is just incredible, Im trying to decide however if I want to buy a pair of these or the M50’s. From what ive seen the M50s look like they have a better build quality, and are also not as bulky. Soundwise however, Im finding it really hard to decide, I listen to alot of different types of music (electro, house, alternative, trip-hop etc..) and Im not too sure whether or not the M50’s are better equipped for music production compared to simply enjoying music. Do you think the m50’s are lacking in the bass department too much?I geuss what im trying to ask is, in your opinion which do you think is an overall better headphone for general music listening, Im not a professional musician I just really like music. Any advice you could provide would be great, cheers.

Anonymous

Hi Robbo, The ATH M-50 will give you a slightly better build, and is also slightly less bulky. But from your music choices, I think you’ll be happier with a Senn HD25-1 than the M50. The M50’s bass is there, but it’s not quite punchy and tight as the Senn. The pace is also slower than the Senn HD25-1.

You can go with the M50 and that will be a fine headphone, but the HD25-1 would do a better job in my opinion.

Robbo

Hi Mike, Sorry I think I might of confused you, the pair that I was using today that I was referring to was actually the ATH-Pro 700 MK2 not the Senn HD25-1. So yes just to clarify I was tossing up between the M50 and the Pro 700 MK2, sorry about the confusion again. Any thoughts?

Anonymous

Not confused at all, Robbo.

I just thought that the HD25-1 would be the better choice than the ATH M-50 for those music. Likewise the Pro700 is also better than the M-50 for your music, but if you’re still going for the M-50, then it would still be a decent choice.

Ghost Rider

Hey Mike and Simon – thanks for the input. So far, the headphones which I own, as well as the ones I want, have fairly low impedences with high sensitivities. I tried contacting a few CD player manufacturers, asking about the specs of the headphone amp sections of their units, but I came up with nothing. I think if I just keep shopping for hps with comparable specs, I should be ok (or look for an external amp in the future). I ordered the TEAC CD-P650, since it has a USP port which taps the digital output of iPods and runs it through its own Burr Brown DAC.

Anonymous

Low impedance headphones with high sensitivity should be easy to drive out of an average CD player headphone out.

I googled the TEAC CD-P650, and while it does have an USB port, I am not sure it can tap the digital out from an Ipod (I think Apple put some sort of an encryption block), though it may work with other DAPs.

GhostRider

Yeah, I emailed TEAC before ordering it, and they said, “yes, it can play your iPod.” That’s not exactly what I was asking, but I read some reviews that said it is an actual digital jack for iPods, but I guess I can’t be totally sure yet.

Also, out of curiosity, I ordered the JVC HA-M5X Xtreme Xplosives hps to get started in the basshead realm. I eventually want those Pro700Mk2 hps, but all these may be quick fixes until Sony’s monstrosity is released here.

Anonymous

The reason that I didn’t even bother comparing the Pro700 to the M-50 is that the two headphones are so different from each other.

The Pro700 Mk2 is a purebred basshead headphone, while the ATH M-50 is closer to a studio monitoring headphone that happens to have good bass quantity. The tonal balance of the M-50 is quite proper, with treble, mids and bass all taking roughly similar proportions. The Pro700 Mk2 is so seriously skewed to the bass regions, it’s probably one of the most colored headphones I’ve ever listened to.

The M-50 has good bass punch, but presented in that wide soundstage, the focus and the impact seems lost. The HD25-1 is better in this regard, as the smaller soundstage helps focus the impact of the bass. The two headphones’ bass, however, sounds puny in comparison to the Pro700 Mk2.

Katun

I just ordered a set of these. As well as a pair of M50 pads.

I’ve got “basshead” in my blood, even though I’ve altered things up and went with low-hitting open headphones recently. I really want something I can use for an all out party on my head, and also a set of closed headphones that don’t leak. Thus, I ran straight for these. There is a very select few of headphones I’ve tried that *really* impressed me in one way or another, and one of them was the Pro 900 for it’s bass. I’m really hoping these can be added to the list, and wonder how they would do against them bass wise only.

An absolute insane question, but how does the bass on these compare to the LCD-2? Extension, impact, slam, rumble, whatever. Just need a headphone for REALLY good bass.

Anonymous

Hi Katun, I think when people say “good” bass it can be interpreted in several different ways: 1. Quality. As in the articulation, tightness, texture, layering. Headphones like the Etymotic ER4 or Beyerdynamic DT880 can be said to have good bass if quality is what one wants. 2. Quantity. The problem with only demanding “quality” is that eventually you’ll feel that there is just isn’t enough bass to make certain music with strong beats work. So people begin to look for quantity as well. This is what you get with headphones like the Pro700 Mk2, LCD-2, or the JH16. Obviously the Pro700 Mk2’s bass quality isn’t going to match the $1K LCD-2 or JH16, but it is still a lot of fun. Quantity wise, the PRo700 Mk2 actually trumps the LCD-2’s and the Ultrasone Pro 900. The Pro700 Mk2 is a heavy bass skewed headphone, while the Audez’e or the Ultrasone are hi-fi headphones with good bass.

Katun

Alright, awesome. Thanks for your input.

So regarding the quality and quantity, I know exactly what you mean. HE-500 has far more bass quality and the XB500 has far more bass quantity. For me, I would take the HE-500 for bass music over the XB500 any day, as I do not appreciate the quantity to quality ration given by the XB500. The Pro 900 had some of the best quality impact bass I’ve ever heard, and in turn impressed me greatly. What I’m wondering is where would the Pro 700 MK2 stack up ratio wise? In other words, you mention it trumps the Pro 900 in quantity, but is the quality still pretty high up there? If it’s an XB500, I’ll hate it, while if it’s more like the Pro 900, I’ll adore it.

Sorry, that is a terrible question, and I’m not even sure you’ll understand what I’m trying to say. I’m just hoping it can resemble the Pro 900’s bass, yet on a higher impact scale.

Anonymous

The Pro700 Mk2 ‘s bass quantity is much higher than the Pro 900, but don’t expect the bass quality to be anywhere near it. This headphone is about quantity and far more than the XB500 or XB700s. When you have so much quantity it’s hard to get the quality as well.

Anonymous

Pdm

Good article mike, i do like to read your articles. But i’m just curious on how good the pro700mkii compared to beyerdynamic bass monster dt770pro/80 ohm. Is there any chance that you make the comparison? Thanks.

Anonymous

I listen to songs I download from itunes and Right now I have a setup of my ipod touch and my zo personal subwoofer amp. I have a goal of getting the bassiest headphone ever made. I have the M50s right now but was wonderin if there was something bassier. I listen to alot of top 40, hiphop/rap, dubstep, and Dance music.

I want the headphone that not only has the best bass but more so the one that I can feel the most. To be more specific, I want a bass a ‘phone that has the best of both worlds if thats possible. I like the pounding mid bass against my head but I also like the rumbling deep bass that courses through your body. I’m looking for the the headphone that is superdynamic where I can feel the bass, but also the crystal clear highs. I want quantity and quality if thats possible becuase I hate distorted bass unless its dubstep or something. The one that will shake your whole head. How would the mk2s compare to the M-audio Q40s with these parameters?

Anonymous

Eli, You want to listen to the bassiest headphone ever made, but you also want crystal clear highs. That’s like asking for a Ferrari with a soft plush suspension straight out of a Toyota Camry.

The Pro700 mk2 is the bassiest headphone I have ever listened to. And while I’ve never listened to the M-Audo Q40s, I think the Pro700 mk2 is probably going to be far bassier than it. This headphone is totally focused on bass, and while the treble is actually quite clear, and I think you’ll enjoy it a lot with Dubstep and Dance. With rap and the top 40 stuff, you’ll be better off with the Sennheiser HD25-1.

Sam

Thanks for your great reviews. Your site has been a great help in finding the right headphones for me. My question for you is, how would these Pro700Mk2 phones sound coming directly out of a HRT Music Streamer II? My HD595’s sound amazing when paired directly to the MSII, but I feel the bass isn’t up to par for my preferred dance/electronica/trance music. So I just ordered the Sony XB500’s and the ATH-Pro700Mk2’s to compare. Thanks for your input.

Sam

Actually, it is completely fine to connect your headphones directly to the MS2 via a RCA to 3.5mm cable. This is what the CTO of HRT had to say about that: “Thank you for your email and purchase of a Music Streamer. In answer to your question, yes. You can certainly use an adapter cable (RCA to 3.5mm stereo) and directly drive a pair of headphones. I have been using Grado SR60s with a Streamer for just such a pairing for many months and find the results to be fantastic. In fact, other than a slightly lower maximum level, the performance far exceeds that which I have obtained with any headphone amplifier I have tried.”

Anonymous

Hi Sam, Yes, I’ve seen some people do that out of their pre amp line outs (which is sort of a similar concept). I think the sound will be better if you get an entry level amp (PA2V2, JDSLabs Cmoy, Fiio E11) and hook it between the HRT and the headphone.

I just found your site and spent hours on here reading your reviews. What a great site!

If i may ask a question from a music production point of view? (TL;DR below).

I was going to get a set of the ATH M50’s as they are renowned in the industry for a relitively flat EQ (for the price), yet still maintaining good bass presence, which is essential in music production.

I write electronic music with a heavy emphasis on sub-bass; my musical style is very similar to the Prodigy. If we take that as an example, would the M50’s be more suitable for this over the Pro 700 mk 2’s?

I mix/master with professional studio grade monitors & a subwoofer, but other times (i.e. late at night) I need a set of studio quality ‘phones to carry on working on ideas. If i take the analogy that the MK50’s would be my full-range monitors, would the pro700 mk2’s be the monitors plus a subwoofer, or is the range in the M50’s good and strong with minimal tail-off all the way down to 20hz?

When you take into account that my personal taste is very bass heavy – strong and precise (but without being muffled or muddy) or at the expense of heavily colouring the highs, would you be able to reccommend the pro700 mk2’s as a studio phone, or, as I read in your review that you say the tonal balance is heavily skewed – is it skewed to the point where it would be IMPOSSIBLE to mix on without completely re-adjusting my ears, or, due to the fact that I am used to dealing with strong bass in the first place would it be suitable…

Summary:

I know that a studio phone should be as flat as possible, however my taste dictates a stronger emphasis on bass. Is it TOO strong on the Pro 700mk2 VS the M50’s, or would it suit me?

Anonymous

Hi LeyTon, Thanks for the compliments.

I am not a professional sound engineer, but I do simple sound system set up for my church, and if I’m going to do some monitoring the M-50 is definitely far more prefferable than the Pro700 Mk2. The M-50 is far more linear, though it still can be considered to be a little bass heavy compared to some of the other monitoring headphones from Shure or Beyerdynamic.

I definitely wouldn’t recommend using the Pro700 Mk2 as a monitoring tool, you need to put some serious EQ to tone down the bass (perhaps 6dB on all the bass frequencies) and to make it linear. Otherwise I fear that the results of your mix will be quite anemic in the bass.

Another choice that you may want to consider is the Sennheiser HD25-1. People use it for television production monitoring, so I am not sure how it will be for music production. But where the HD25-1 differ from the M-50 is that the bass is less bloated, and yet more punchy than the M-50. The M-50’s bass however extends lower and the treble higher than the HD25-1.

I would personally advise you to give the M-50 a try. They are fairly linear and has all the right characteristics for a monitoring tool. The Shure SRH-840 is flatter than the M-50, but the bass is even more anemic so I wouldn’t recommend it for you.

In response to your comments, a flat frequency response is probably going to be more preferable to me in a studio application than a 6db(!) difference in the lows… after all, due to the fact that the majority of my mixing is done on my monitors, the last thing I want to be doing is fiddling with my EQ every time I want to put the cans on… wow, 6db’s.. no wonder it has all that extra bass – but it will be far too much for monitoring. I now see what you mean by skewed.

I’ll have to take a listen to the HD25-1’s – I’ve heard some very good things about them, especially with music that has a very fast pace, such as rock. The only way for me to decide is if I listen to one then the other, but my instinct is still on the M-50’s, due to the extended frequency response for the lows and high’s, even if the PRaT isn’t quite up to scratch with the HD251’s older drivers.

Thanks very much for your input. I’ve actually been reading your site all day, i’m quite a fan of your work already – it’s nice to read something that knows the difference between subjective and objective, especially when it comes to reviewing.

Anonymous

Hi LeyTon, Yes I’m think the M-50 will be a more suitable tool for your production. Give the HD25-1 a try as well and see if you like it better than the Audio Technica. The toe-tapping factor is much better on the HD25-1, but as you mentioned, the M-50’s driver is more modern and has a better frequency range.

Zart_zaku

I will buy ath pro 700 mk2 next month. I will use hifiman hm-601 as the source. Will I still need an amp for it? In audiophile-id, I saw someone sell govibe pkk. Do you think it will be suitable for ath pro 700 mk2.

aside from seismic bass, how the detail, treble, mid compared to other DJ phone like 181DJ, SRH750DJ, or even highly appraised HD25-1 (which i’m not sure HD25-1 really suitable for clubber music mentioned above even its has PRaT, punchy and perhaps accurate bass) ?

Anonymous

The Pro700 Mk2 just obliterates everything else when it comes to bass.

The driver resolution is actually very good and if your ears are sensitive enough it is actually more resolving than the HD25-1, SRH-750DJ, and even slight better than the 181DJ. However treble quantity is very very low, and so it’s hard to see that.

If you are into club music, I actually suggest headphones that attenuate the treble heavily since the recordings are always very sharp on the trebles. The Pro700 Mk2 is awesome and another choice is the AIAIAI TMA-1:http://headfonia.com/aiaiai-tma-1/

Andre.

Hi Mike,

Well this article really helps me narrowing my choices of bass head cans. I listen to some types of music including R&B, HipHop, Electro, House Music, and Pop sometimes. I have been looking for a bass head can that can fulfill my need and my choices have come down to : 1. Audio Technica Pro700 MK 2 2.Ultrasone HFi 580. 3. Sennheiser HD25-1 II 4. Denon AH-D1100.

I am looking for the cans that can provide lower bass extension (like a subwoofer sound) while still manage to have a bit of bass impact and control which I think is good for the music that I listen to. I don t really mind with the impact and bass control as long as the bass quantity is greater. I have listened to the beats studio and I think that the bass from that cans is pretty good for R&B song but it seems like it does not have enough bass impact and I don’t like the highs on because it is too sharp and attacking my ears. Which of my options from the list above would you recommend? Sound Isolation and comfort is also my main concern prior to purchasing this headphone. Thanks, Dre.

Anonymous

Andre

Have you listened to the Ultrasone 580? some reviews said that the 580 is recommended for bass head but I am not sure if the can has greater bass quantity than the beats studio. I think the bass quantity that the beats studio provide is good enough for me, but I like the bass to be deeper, punchier and faster while keep maintaining the low extention. Do I need an amp to drive this Pro700mk2? If so, what would be the most suitable amp for this pro700mk2? I probably use the Ipod and my laptop to as a source for now.

Andre

Mike, I purchased the Pro700mk2 and the reason why I chose this over ultrasone 580 and M50 was because Iwanted more bass.. What would be the better amp than the E11? I will probably check out the price first before I buyt it.

Andre

Wow.. Mike it is a lot more expensive than the E11. But I have read the reviews and I know it has been given an A+ for an amp. I will probably go with the E11 since it offers a decent price range for me.. Thanks…

Anonymous

Andre

Mike, I have read some reviews and they said that this MK2 sounded really awful. It is like having a monster sub without the bass control at all??? and if you listen to the trance music, you can’t even tell when the bass stops because Trance music is a kind of music that has speed in bass and these MK2 bass could not even catch up and the mids and highs are really recessed. The guy suggested to return this Mk2. The Kicker HP541 sound even better than these mk2. Is it really that worse? I mean I hope I would like this headphones when I get them. Does providing E11 amp help these mk2 sound much better? Or should I just get the HFI-580 and return this MK2? Do the HFI 580 have more bass quantity than the beats studio?

Anonymous

I won’t say that the guy who said that is wrong, because when you have a lot of bass, like on the Pro700 Mk2, it’s going to be hard to control them. The only bassy headphone that has crazy bass and just as good control is the JH16 and they did it with four balanced armature drivers. So, that you have to know.

This is why a good and precise amp like the Meier Stepdance I mentioned earlier helps. The E11 is not as articulate, but it would help. Ultimately it depends on the type of trance as well. If you listen to the really speedy type, the HD25-1 would be better. Smaller bass quantity, still very punchy and good control.

Andre

Anonymous

Andre

I will probably listen to both pro700mk2 and 580 unamp and will see which one I like more. To be honest, I like the punchy and good control bass but I do not want to lose the lower frequency extension that will make them sound just like a mid bass. I will see how the ultras one 580 sound. Any reference for a good amp that is suitable for the 580?

Andre88s

I think the best way for me is to listen to them and pick out the best out of them that fit me taste. Then i will try to get an amp for the cans. Anyways, thank you so much for your help and time.. You have such great reviews..

Anonymous

Andre

Mike, I auditioned the MK2 and the 580. Personally, I like the MK2 better than the 580. I think the 580’s have too much treble and the high is very very aggressive. I personally do not like the sound of the 580. I returned them. The mk2 is the bass head can, I do bass lower on my EQ and listen to the Audiophile songs and they sound Ok for me, well but the mid is a bit recessed. I think somewhere between 2.5k to 6.0k frequency range need to be boosted. Thanks Mike..

Anonymous

Andre88s

Yes, I am listening with no amp right now. I just ordered the E11, can’t wait to pair them up and listen to it. Thanks mike. I almost bought the Solo HD but, I liked these Promk2 better than the Solo and Studio.

Anonymous

The headphones stay on the ears and they are wireless, many people like runners, people who like go to gym, and walkers like this style. The other features that many Bluetooth headphone earphones give to you is they have volume and track selection features right on the ear piece, so you can keep enjoy to play your music device with ease while exercising.

I don’t know what to choose between the Hd25-1, M50, and the Pro700Mk2. I would like one close headphone that are good in both music kind, and not very good in some kind of music and not so bad in other. I think that between the hd25 and the M50, I prefer the M50 because the old drivers of the hd25, and I don’t know if the pro700 will bring to much bass… I like bass but maybe for some kind of music it could be more than the intended… 😐

Ieatbabyheads

Anonymous

Anonymous

I’ve heard that these babies require a lot of burn in time(almost a month) and the ear pads hurts so bad after long use that one reviewer in YouTube recommended and even replaced it with the M50’s pads. Is this true?

Anonymous

It’s a sad fact that almost every reviews these days say that headphones need hundreds and hundreds of hours before they open up. In my experience most headphones settle down within 12-24 hours.

As for the pads, the M-50 is softer but I think it would induce more sweating. And different pads would alter the frequency balance so unless you purposedly want to tune it a certain way and know what you are doing, I recommend staying with the stock pads.

Anonymous

Jmbassrulz

I have been researching a lot about all different kinds of headphones because I want a durable pair with a lot of bass but also treble and midtone clarity for a reasonable price, and also for more of hardcore style of music. Would you rather go with the HD 25-1 or the AIAIAI TMA-1?

Anonymous

The Pro700 Mk2 and the TMA-1 would not have the treble and midrange clarity that most people are used to. The HD25-1 is good with treble and midrange clarity, but I’m not if it has enough bass, since you are asking for a lot of bass.

Jmbassrulz

Anonymous

Okay, I think different people have different standards as to how much of a kick really counts as a kick, if you know what I mean. Neverthless, I’ll suggest that you go and try out the Sennheiser HD25-1. It is one of the headphones that have a very good balance between the treble-mid-bass, and a lot of people find it to have a good bass kick without overwhelming the rest of the frequencies.

Anonymous

Sorensiim

Anonymous

Someone asked this earlier when the article was published.

I actually did a comparison between the two (I should’ve posted this in the article), but it boils down to this: The Pro 900 Ultrasone is a fine hi-fi tuned headphone with good bass and at the same time good clarity. The Pro700Mk2 ATH on the other hand is a skewed, total bass-head headphone with little treble quantity but very massive bass amounts. The bass is much much bigger on the Pro700 Mk2.

J Sleamy

Anonymous

Yea I really need to do that. 🙂

I’ve only done the comparison up to the XB700-500-300, and from that the Pro700 Mk2 has a far stronger kick on the bass, compared to even the XB700. The bass on the Sony, though plenty (the XB700), is a bit loose as well compared to the Pro700 Mk2. The Sony still has a more proper treble presence though, where the treble is more attenuated on the Pro 700, making it a darker headphone overall.

J Sleamy

looking forward to that Sir 🙂

from the reviews that i read, xb1000 is way better than xb700. so i’m just wondering how the pro700mk2 competes with the xb1000.

i own the M50 and i’m planning to buy a good “basshead” headphone, but i dont want to have a headphone that only emphasising the low freq while sacrifice (significant) mids and high. because in my honest opinion, listening to such headphone would be like putting your ears to a sub-woofer while the satellite speakers are located 10 meters away from the ears. i barely can’t enjoy the music. or is it the typical basshead headphone characteristic?

it’s only my 2 cents though. i’m still kinda novice in this headphone world 🙂 cheers.

Anonymous

Well, it is the XB1000 so it should be better. As to how much better it really is, that remains to be seen. The Pro700 Mk2 will definitely give you that ears in subwoofer sound, and if you still want good treble I think you’d be better off trying the Sony. At least I know that the XB700 doesn’t do that.

J Sleamy

looking forward to that Sir 🙂

from the reviews that i read, xb1000 is way better than xb700. so i’m just wondering how the pro700mk2 competes with the xb1000.

i own the M50 and i’m planning to buy a good “basshead” headphone, but i dont want to have a headphone that only emphasising the low freq while sacrifice (significant) mids and high. because in my honest opinion, listening to such headphone would be like putting your ears to a sub-woofer while the satellite speakers are located 10 meters away from the ears. i barely can’t enjoy the music. or is it the typical basshead headphone characteristic?

it’s only my 2 cents though. i’m still kinda novice in this headphone world 🙂 cheers.

g.peterson

I have the Ultrasone DJ1, XB1000, and just got the Pro700Mk2 to compare. I feel like the XB1000 has a deeper bass than the Pro700Mk2. This is especially true with bass boost equalization and driven by a Yulong U100. The Pro700Mk2’s bass seems slightly tighter than the XB1000, but the DJ1 has even tighter bass.

So I feel like the Pro700Mk2 ends up being stuck between the other two: it doesn’t have the deep extension of the XB1000 nor the tightness of the DJ1. It also does seem to have more recessed mids compared to the XB1000 and DJ1.

Anonymous

Anonymous

Yea I really need to do that. 🙂

I’ve only done the comparison up to the XB700-500-300, and from that the Pro700 Mk2 has a far stronger kick on the bass, compared to even the XB700. The bass on the Sony, though plenty (the XB700), is a bit loose as well compared to the Pro700 Mk2. The Sony still has a more proper treble presence though, where the treble is more attenuated on the Pro 700, making it a darker headphone overall.

J Sleamy

Guest Sheeert

I’ve read from other places that this is just a bass monster and all you hear is bass and no clarity at all from vocals and background instruments like piano, sinth, guitar, etc. Is this true? I wanted something that was really punchy in bass and give you that “shock” of boom from bass but still with really good clarity.

Was wondering how this would compare in the mids and highs against hd25-1 ii or even the V-Moda LP2 or V-Moda m80

If you want good bass punch with good clarity, then the HD25-1 is the one you should get. I’ve never auditioned the V-Modas so I can’t comment, but the HD25-1 has been winning people over for a very long time. Hard to go wrong with that one.

Guest Sheeert

The driver resolution is better with the Pro750, the soundstage is also more spacious. However some people don’t like the S-Logic’s way of presenting music, and it would also depend on the recording — some works, other doesn’t. The HD25-1 is a more straight forward sound, and it’s easier to pair with mainstream recordings.

Anonymous

I was thinking of buying this is too much for my budget but there is the Pro500MK2 which appears to me that it is the cheaper version of the Pro700MK2 with 53mm drivers. What do you think about this new model? Also do you have any experience on the Pioneer HDJ500?

headphone_maniac

Hello mike ! Thanks for the review and for all the job done in this site ! I own the ATH-M50 for 2 years now and truly love it , i consider-it a “bass-heavy” headphone and mostly enjoyed it on electro and hip hop , using an other can for classical ,vocal , jazz. My question is that : For dynamic music which benefits in my opinion with good bass impact ( less fidelity but so enjoyable music) do you recommand the pro 700 mk II avoer the M-50? What about details of those 2 cans ? I’m also a little affraid by vocals , are they that bad? i love hip hop and vocals are to me as important as bass impact so is the pro 700mkII worse in this section than the M-50 ( or do the MKII do less than expected for a higher priced headphone than the M50 on vocals) I hope you didn’t get me wrong and sorry for english errors if they are any (i’m french)

Once again thanks for the great job done here, i always found your reviews to be verry good and verry close to what i think and feel!

Ed

Hi Mike,

Your site is wonderful. I’ve been enjoying myself reading your reviews , and your honest opinions on Hi-fi gear. I might be getting this Hps, since I’ve always been a bass head. Your review makes them sound like some really interesting headphones. I just got one question: Have you heard of the Anniversary edition for this model? They look really nice. I’m just wondering if they might have a different sound, because they have included metal on the casing and the pads a genuine leather according to Audio Technica.

Hi Ed, I was just talking with a friend on the anniversary edition Audio Technicas, and yes they relased some limited edition Pro700 Mk2s, but I don’t think I’ll be reviewing it. However I may do a review on the Anniversary Edition M-50, and since I have the stock one to compare it with, we’ll see if the anniversary edition is really any different.

Ed

Alexsafyre

I am right on the verge of either buying this phone, or the ATH-ASW70 – Someone ” in the know ” reccomended this over the Pro 700 yes, bass ” description ” sounds great, but if the ” mids ” are gone – than forget it….I tried the Klipch – bass heavy too, but there wa absolutely no mid range……Why does everyt hing seem to have to be a comprimise in the ” portable ” market….I am willing to spend good money, but I absolutely will not sacrificed audio quality…..I have an M-50 -and unlike some others, am not that impressed over all, so if it falls short of the M-50 – than I don’t want to risk it……What about he HI_FIMAN 400 – Yes I know MUCH bigger, but it doesn’t seem like if I give up on something, I will find something acceptable DAMM !!!!

What sort of music do you listen to? And do you want a pure bass monster headphone or something that has good bass and good mids as well? Usually bass monster headphones would have some compromise on the midrange.

Anonymous

Okay so I bought the MD50s and found them really flat and not what i was looking for. I wanted something more for entertainment use and therefore am returning them for these. However I see on the headphones it still says “Monitor” headphones. This is just marketing right? I dont want sound that can be called “clinical” or just focused on 100% accuracy, I want something FUN and bass-orientated. So whatsup with the “Monitor” thing? Even if they are MUCH more bass-orientated than the MD50 does the fact they claim to be “Studio Monitoring Headphones” mean the other frequencies are flat and boring? LONG QUESTION SHORT: Are these headphones for entertainment use? And does Monitor status differ from regular consumer headphones? (hoping not)

I don’t know why people keep on saying that the M50 is a basshead headphone because it certainly isn’t. It’s made to be a monitoring headphone, but it just happens to have a slightly above average bass quantity for a monitoring headphone. The Pro700 Mk2 on the other hand is a purebred basshead headphone. I don’t know why the monitoring writing is there. Well monitoring usually strives for a flat frequency response and a recording revealing sound. Some people, perhaps they only listen to good recordings, like to use monitoring headphones for music listening. That makes sense if everything you listen to is well recorded. Otherwise, I’d recommend a music listening headphone. Please check this list, and pay attention to the ones marked “Hifi”.

How about the comparison of clarity? Which one is more recessed in mid? I owned 750DJ and changed it to M50s, but I like the sound of 750dj more except its uncomfortable design. I wonder if pro700mk2 is an update from 750dj regarding the bass quality, clarity and mid/high range?

The bass quality and clarity is perhaps better on the 750DJ. Basically the rule of thumb is the bigger the bass quantity, the harder it is to maintain clarity. If you’re still concerned with the quality of mid and high range, then you should look into something else, perhaps like the ATH WS-70. The Pro 700 Mk2 is a pure basshead headphone.

Zac Caslin

Did you break them in before the review? Because I got a pair about a week ago and I don’t seem to be getting the huge bass that everyone is talking about. For example my klipshch image one headphones have alot more bass than the 700pro mk2’s. Do I need to just let them break in for a wile longer. Also I tried them with a Fiio E6 and E10.

Zac Caslin

I’ve had experience with both. In my experience, the Klipsch Image One’s are more naturally bassy in certain frequencies, but the Pro700 Mk2 is good if you use an amplifier with a good bass boost (or have a Cowon MP3 player like I have — the EQ options on my J3 make my iPod Touch’s seem awfully anemic). I will say I vastly prefer the overall sound of the Pro700Mk2’s myself — seems less muffled.

ARKADIUSZ MIKINA

Hi Mike

Your website and reviews are absolutely awesome – thank you for that.

I am after really bass heavy, full sized closed backs please. They have to be over the ear (circumaural right?) so sit around my ears (hold on the head) – I used akg 181dj now and after 2 hours of listening my ears burn so I presume that’s because akg181s are supra aural and sit mostly on the ears?

I will be listening only to trance, house and ambient and I love powerful, deep bass no matter what volume it is.

Can you please confirm if the Pro700 Mk2 are actually circum aural and sit over/around ears and not on them please? Are these cans quite loud? my current k181djs are not very loud which is a bit disappointing. I like dynamic, loud, banging sound.

Originally I was settled for technics rp-dh1200 after reading some reviews but after finding your website I am leaning towards Pro700 Mk2 now. Do you know how they both compare? Have you ever listened to the rp-dh1200? There is not that much difference in price between them…The others I am considering now would would be xb1000s (did you manage to listen to them? how do they perform in comparison to Pro700 Mk2? altho they are really big and also quite a bit more expesive at 300usd), ultrasones dj1 pro and maybe pioneer hdj-1000/2000…. please help me choose.

Generally I am after a headphone + mp3 player combo. I was looking a lot and came to conclusion that best sound quality (+ all of the above I am looking for i.e. dynamic, bassy experience + electronica only listened to) is mentioned with cowon j3 mp3 player – do you know this player? could comment on it at all plz?

If not, do you know some other (just as awesome site as yours) that specializes in PMPs?

I was also thinking about adding an amp to the equasion but consider most of them to be too expensive until I came across fiios. I had a closer look at E6 and E11. Do you think this would make sense with cowon J3 and one of the headphones above? Would it make sense in adding E11/or any amp in this case at all?

I am looking to buy fairly quickly so was nearly settled on J3 + rp-dh1200 + E11… until now 😀 I am thinking if I should go the J3 + Pro700 Mk2 + E11 route now? – trouble is I can’t listen to it anywhere that I live.

Hi Mike, I am looking into upgrading from the Sony xb500/700 to these or the Beats by Dre Pro’s. I used to have the Sony xb700 but swapped them for the 500’s as I felt the 500’s bass punch was better and to my liking. I have tried out the Beats by Dre Pro and I found them to be such a fun headphone, but I suspected they were connected to an amp in the shop, but I am looking into buying the Fiio e11 amp. In your opinion and if you have listened to the Sony and Beats Pro’s, how do they compare to the Pro700 Mk2 in sound quality and bass punch? (Beats Pro is £223.99 and Pro700 Mk2 is £142.80 Amazon UK)

Edward, If you have listened to the Beats Pro and enjoyed it, then I would just go with that. There is no guarantee that going with the Audio Technica would give you a better overall listening experience, and unless you can personally audition the Audio Technica, I would just go with the headphone that I’ve listened to and enjoy. Yes, the price difference is quite significant, but at the end of the day better to go with something a little more expensive but you can enjoy.

Prakhar Yadav

Hey Mike I have a couple of questions Im hoping you could answer… Im really looking for that thunderous bass that the Pro700Mk2s offer but Im wondering are the mids decent? I dont need them to be great just good enough. Also would the headphone be able to be powered by an E11? Thanks in advance Prakhar

i was originally going to get the xb1000’s but looks like sony pulled the plug on these, i loved the xb500 tho, found the bass to be the greatest i have ever heard lol, anyway how would u say the bass on the pro700’s compares to the sony xb500’s? i have a hard time believing the xb500 can be beatin in that department lol, also out of curiousity, have you had a chance to see how these stack against the ultrasone pro900?

First of all the Pro700 Mk2 has more bass than the Ultrasone Pro900 or the XB500 combined. But on the other hand it’s also a more specialized, all-out bass headphone. For instance if you value things like clarity, the Ultrasone would be the best of the three, while still offering a good strong bass. The XB500s are okay in my opinion. I don’t think the bass quantity or impact can be compared to the Pro700 Mk2, as the difference is quite big.

Ceyer Wakilpoor

Hey Mike Thanks for the great review, so I assume these will really shake your head right? Well, I currently own a pair of Shure se215 iem’s, HD25’s and a pair of M50’s, and I absolutely love them, but I would like to color up my collection. I am looking for a hardcore bass head headphone that is more portable than my M50, and these seem to be perfect, with the bass and the detachable cable. Still, I am worried that it may be clinical and I was wondering if they really gave a fun characteristic to the music. Oh and how portable would you say they are and do they have a low profile? Would also be interested in a side by side with the anniversary version 😀

Yes this would be the hardcore basshead headphone, though the size is more or less the same as the M-50. I hope that also answer your question on portability and low profile. 🙂 I’ve A-Bed the M-50 regular and anniv. version, small differences. I’m inclined to believe that it’s going to be the same case as the Pro700 Mk2.

Ceyer Wakilpoor

Thanks a bunch :D, very helpful ^^. From what I’ve read the Anniversary version uses different drivers, but from the specs they seem identical, I just assume its a different batch. How do you think the Pro700mkii will match with the ZO2?

Deniz Zoeteman

Hi Mike, I was wondering if this was the right headphone for me. I am a basshead, but I do like my mids in there. I am a new guy as it comes to high-end headphones. Would these work great for songs like Tiesto & Wolgang Gartner – We Own the Night? That song would sum up what I listen to. Thanks!

Max von Hippel

The PRO 700MK2’s are enormously uncomfortable because they are far too tight, even with m50 earpads. If ATH fixes this or if someone can come up with a good mod I will be very grateful, but until then I feel like a total schmuck for completely wasting $160 of my hard earned money.

Kevin Baculanta

just got this hp, the bass is nice but your over-hyping this hp man. I expected thundering reverbering gigantic earth-shaking bass, its true the bass is good if your music has good bass in the first place, lesson learned…

I am a massive basshead, like you, I also grin and laugh to myself when i hear heart thumping bass. Knowing some other bass heavy headphones, I was wondering if since you said these are good for electronica, will those cymbals and fast hi hats be muffled. I don’t want to spoon out money on a headphone that I can’t return. I love bass and I know that in order to get a lot of it, you compromise the higher spectrum. But in your experience, will a get that sense of ambience, that feeling of rain falling down on your head with a drum and bass song because of those drumkits. Sorry for the long question but thanks for reading!Josh

Hi Josh, In my experience the electronica recordings have always been boosted on the treble region and so with the Pro700 Mk2 I’ve never had a problem with the high frequencies being muffled. As long as you stick to electronica recordings. If you’re gonna use this for Jazz than that’s an entirely different issue.

David Eisenblaetter

Hi Mike, I just wanted to thank you a lot, I’m from Germany, enthusiastic dubstep, electro, minimal and deep tech house listener even hard style when I want to really kick my brains out 😉 I read your article, ordered these Audio Technica and now am the happiest person 🙂 I used the Bose AE2 before and while these HF are very very nice for classical and vocal driven music, they lack a huge load of bass. The Audio Technica sound a little dull in comparison with the bose but the smile they give me while listening to hard bass music is priceless. Thanks you and please please keep it up,

at least now you have to since you know how international your readers are

David Eisenblaetter

The thing is I tested both with a programm that produces test tones from 5 Hz up to 20000 Hz and the AT is much punchier from 5 – 500 Hz while the Bose is more clear and crisp going up. I think it really depends on what music you like and listen to 🙂 For my application it’s perfectly fine. I have a audiofile setup with a good yamaha amp and 4 Magnat speakers at home and a nice setup in my car for that boom boom moments 😉 So all I was looking for was a fun headfone to take along, that is not as clinical as the Bose with my tipe of music and I think I found it 🙂 I didn’t want to go with the Beats because they are overpriced and I don’t like them having a small amp built in with a set of batteries, I don’t like Dr. Dre either and I don’t like the looks (Power Ranger) ;P But I had to admid after hearing them that I liked the sound of that big bass in a headfone. Thats why I bought the AT and I m happyWith a little treble adjust on the portable amp its alright by the way. But indeed you are right the Bose would be the better monitor headfone. The AT is much more fun for me though haha

David Eisenblaetter

Yes indeed I haven’t had headfones with more bass, and thats worth nothing when somebody like I say that, but you’ve tested more than every headfone that I knew of so 😉 By the way I’m so impressed that you answer almost every post! never saw that on any website 🙂 Just because I saw it on a youtube vid a few seconds ago, did you listen to the pioneer HDJ-2000 before? Could be interesting, not that I had huge experiences with pioneer stuff…. 🙂 Thumbs up and you made me really curious why I’m so lucky living in Germany 😉 hope that was no sarcasm hehe

I bought them locally in Hong Kong where I live, I actually I found them by chance in a non hi-fi store which probably didn’t have a clue that its price had appreciated long ago. Most hifi stores here do have the Pro700mk2anv but they would usually retail for around $400

Jack Kennedy

Awesome review Mike! I wasn’t even considering these until now. Maybe you can help me out; I’m looking for a good pair of closed-back headphones and I can’t really figure out what would fit my needs best. I’ve been looking at the Pro700 Mk2’s, the ATH M-50’s, and the HD25-1’s. I bought the HD558’s not too long ago and I love them. However, I’ve recently gotten into electronica/dubstep/house and the 558’s are good, but not exactly the best with these genres. Which of these do you think would provide the best bass impact/handle these genres while still being able to play other genres (alt rock, acoustic, metal, etc) too?

I have pro700mk2, but I want more bass, deeper bass, the lowest possible, I found that pro700mk2 is not low enough for my taste, I’m so desperate for a can that brings earthquake to my jaw, I heard about M-Audio q40 & Ultrasone pro 900, do you think it has a better bass compare to pro700mk2?

More bass is not the same as deeper bass. You can have headphones with lower bass but less bass quantity. If you want earthquakes, what you need is bass quantity and impact and I think the Pro700 Mk2 is pretty maxxed out in that department.

honestly i do think it’s probably because that extremely low bass is probably out of your hearing range anyways. and i would really like to know what is your reference point or cans for having low bass at all

anonymouse

Juan Carlos Rodriguez

I just order the MK2, I have a Cowon X7 and I was thinking of getting the fiio E17 or the E11, I’m leaning more so to the E17 to pick up on the mids and stile have great bass, or will it not make a difference at all. I have the AT M50 and I love them with instrumental music but for electronica or hard style I’m getting the MK2, I’m also going to get the AKG K550 in the future.

P.S. Sorry If I miss spelled anything I’m for Mexico. Your review was great and that’s why I a picked the MK2 over the XB 1000 or other headphones very nice work.

I just got the chance to listen to the XB1000. It’s very nice, but very different from the Pro700 Mk2. Ultimate bass, Pro700 is still king. I may do an XB1000 vs Pro700 Mk2 comparison if I have the time. 🙂

Juan Carlos Rodriguez

That sound’s really good, since the XB1000, AIAIAI TMA-1, and the pro 700 mk2 were my 3 top pick for a bass headphone but as seen the mk2 was Mi pick mainly because of the kick on the bass, any how I hope that comparison helps people to see if they want a big kick in the bass of a dark headphone or something little less dark with more mids or highs I,m looking forward to your comparison.

P.S. I do want the XB1000, they look so comfy, but people that have them think they are to big for comfort. (Plus I Pick the MK2s because of portability and good bass with out and amp.)

sunand jose

Thanks for your great review ,i got this superb headphone from amazon,your review is absolutely right,I have one Denon AHD 1100, but Audio Technica pro700 mk2 will beat any headphones in this price range with its huge bass and clarity of sound, I have no words about the bass its produced…

Greetings from Malaysia. I’d like to know in terms of bass comparison, would you say the V-Moda Crossfade LPs has more bass punch as compared to the AT Pro700Mk2s? I have the Crossfades, but the AT looks real good too. Am considering purchasing one soon. Your reply will be much appreciated. Cheers mate.

Asrona

I bought the Sennheiser 25hd, and the sound was not good enough. My friend and even some headphone review sites, recommended them but it is not good enough, sound is flat and the bass, not powerful enough. soundstage, almost none. i really need to find a headphone shop where i can try out headphones. But there is not any where i live. So it sucks. That is why this time i will by a good high end headphone, but not sure.

Asrona

Well ok, i see what you mean there. So what you are telling me, i can’t have a headphone with good soundstage, with a solid bass, like the mk2. ? The reasonable thing would be then i might prefer the subwoofer like bass MK2 has. I listned to them, tried them out, they sounded good, but the comfort. Not good. Keep in mind, for you out there, this headphone doesn’t have good comfort. Too bad.

frangameister

G’day Mike, I do have Pro700MKII paired with Fiio E17/E12 and happy with bass but the comfort side of it well… its ok on short listening sessions. Its not the head clamp that bothers me its the band that gives me discomfort. Its more of the bass firstly and portability I am after. I was given a viable option why not go for Ultrasone Pro900 for bass but If portability I am really after ATH-WS99 will be the better option.

No doubt ((BASS)) on Pro700MKII but I would like to get some thoughts in comparison to Ultrasone Pro900 & ATH-WS99 both sound, comfort & portability.

I hope you can give me some of your valuable views on this, thank you.

Uls Pro900 is nice and it does have bass but not quite at the level and quantity of the Pro700. The WS series I’ve only heard the 55 and 77. And like the Pro900 they are also good but not Pro700 quantity.

Krzysztof Pomarancza

Thank You for great review and all your comments!!! You are amazing! At the same time I’m a little bit surprised why you haven’t write any word about outside noise isolation. I would love to hear which one of this free headphones ”TMA-1”, HD 25 II” or ”Pro700 Mk2” dealing the best with outside noise (has best isolation). This is very important for me because i just hate increase volume each time when im entering noisy surroundings. Greetings from berlin Kris

Thach M Truong

Thank you for the awesome review Mike. I’m gonna buy the pro700mk2 next week but I just want to ask which amp should i get to go with it? Does the CmoyBB sound good to you? I can only handle under $100 amp